Friday, October 16, 2009

I always thought that sriracha was the brand name of what's commonly know as rooster sauce (Does sriracha trip off your tongue?) Nope, it's a generic name for a Thai hot (and slightly sweet) chili-based condiment used for dipping; however, I put sriracha on popcorn, on scrambled eggs, on devilled eggs, on goat cheese, on grilled cheese, and on and on. Now, Hapi Snacks brings us, direct from Thailand, a major breakthrough: sriracha-coated peas. I generally like stuff with more stuff, and this is a satisfying example. They may need a pinch more salt, but I say that about most things. Unless I say it needs more sriracha.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Passed this soggy poster earlier today, and can't find out very much more. The website is pretty much the poster, not much information. I can tell you that there will be tons of dumplings, as well as a dumpling-eating contest. The whole shebang benefits the Food Bank for New York City, which helps combat hunger here at home.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

On my way home from the Union Square farmer's market, laden with squash, shallots, apples, grapes, and all manner of things healthy and organic, I became fearful that my diet was getting entirely too healthy. So, before even unpacking my groceries, I stopped in at the new bakery around the corner, Stuffed Artisan Cannolis, on Stanton between Attorney and Clinton.

I broke my resolve not go all pedantic about cannolis instead of cannoli as soon as I walked in the door. The owner, Anthony Fontana, who was behind the counter, told me that his mother wasn't too crazy about the name, either, and reminded him that it's "Cannolo, cannoli," but said that he remembers growing up hearing people referring to a box of cannolis. Having grown up in a largely Italian Brooklyn neighborhood, I do, too, and gave in on the point.
The wee cannoli(s) come in an impressive variety of flavors: birthday cake, peanut butter cup, red licorice, cappucino...and lots more, although not all flavors are available every day. Being of sadly small appetite, I was delighted to be able to get three three-bite cannoli(s) for five bucks.

I chose, left to right, apple pie, plain, and French toast. The French toast, with little slices of French-toasty- flavored little cookies at either end, was my favorite. The apple pie was redolent of both apple and cinnamon. The plain was a fine plain cannoli but, with all the options available, I think I'm going to keep exploring the more recondite flavors.
I was given a taste of Nutella filling as I was on my way out, which mercifully prevented me from pointing out that, "Stuffed Artisan Cannolis" sound as though the cannoli(s) are made by a stuffed artisan. Perhaps they are; if I spent much time there, I'd be pretty stuffed, too.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

A long weekend of shopping and eating. Went to M2M market on Third Avenue in search of the elusive Pizza Pretz, which is still missing from the shelves. Picked up some other snacks, including passion-fruit mochi, which bore a striking resemblance to pumpkins I encountered later at the Union Square Farmer's Market.